Toshiba Still Hopes for Single Next-Gen DVD Format

Although HD-DVD is already in the market, Toshiba—the format's primary proponent—is still hopeful that a truce can be reached with the Blu-ray camp for a single next-generation DVD standard. "We haven't given up on a unified format," Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida said during the company's annual shareholders meeting this week. "We would like to seek ways for unifying the standards if opportunities arise." Toshiba, of course, had already tried to unify HD-DVD with Blu-ray but was ultimately rebuked by Blu-ray backer Sony, which is busy doing its version of Osborne Computers this year, for some reason

If Sony is not careful it's going to loose another format war. Most users will do nothing until this gets settled or someone like LG offers a dual format player. Once that happens it's all over. If people have a choice of picking up a Blu-ray for $30 or the same title HD-DVD for $20 the choice will be simple and it will be bye-bye Blu-ray.